'Battle of the Bay 2.0': Ballers to face Giants in San Jose

SAN JOSE, Calif. - With the team formerly known as the Oakland Athletics officially gone, the grassroots Oakland Ballers and the minor league San Jose Giants on Wednesday are seeking to reimagine a long-beloved Bay Area tradition of interleague baseball: It’s called "Battle of the Bay 2.0." 

The two teams will play an exhibition game at Excite Ballpark in San Jose to mark what they’re calling "a new chapter in the storied history of Bay Area baseball matchups," as they seek to honor a decades-long tradition between the Oakland A's and the San Francisco Giants.

The San Jose Giants to face the Oakland Ballers in the inaugural "Battle of the Bay 2.0" on Wednesday, April 2, 2025 in San Jose, Calif.  (San Jose Giants)

What they're saying:

"The Battle of the Bay 2.0 at its core is a celebration of the Bay Area baseball fan and the history of baseball in this region," San Jose Giants President Ben Taylor said in a news release.

The game will be the first time an affiliated franchise, the San Jose Giants, plays a team that’s in an independent MLB partner league, the teams said. 

The Single-A minor-league San Jose Giants have been an affiliate of the San Francisco Giants since 1988.

SEE ALSO: San Jose Giants staying put until 2050 in deal that includes stadium upgrades

The nascent Ballers, set to kick off its second season, are part of an expansion franchise in the Pioneer Baseball League. 

"In the grand tradition of the Bay Bridge Series, this game affords two great cities – San Jose and Oakland – the opportunity to celebrate the joy of minor league baseball in the Bay Area," said Pioneer League President Michael Shapiro.

The Ballers said the "history-making" event will help promote the two teams and their rising players.

"The Ballers are committed to developing homegrown talent and cultivating baseball excellence in Oakland and the greater Bay Area," said Don Wakamatsu, the Ballers' executive vice president of baseball operations.

The backstory:

The team came into being as a community-driven and fan-led franchise, after the Oakland A’s made plans to leave the city. The Ballers, also known as the B’s, note that it's now Oakland’s one and only professional baseball team.

The A's in West Sacramento 

The "Battle of the Bay 2.0" will come two days after the Athletics had their home opener at its temporary, new home in West Sacramento on Monday. The game against the Chicago Cubs ended in an 18-3 loss.

The A's are scheduled play three seasons in West Sacramento while its new ballpark in Las Vegas is under construction.

Home openers

The inaugural Battle of the Bay 2.0 will come ahead of the San Jose Giants 2025 Opening Night on Tuesday, April 8 at Excite Ballpark against the Visalia Rawhide.

The Ballers' home opener is set for May 20 at Raimondi Park in West Oakland against the Ogden Raptors.

First pitch for Wednesday’s game is set for 6 p.m. at Excite Ballpark.